The following is a detailed analysis of the current Forest
Hills Public Schools uni on contract that covers teachers as well
as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 690 teachers and
enrolls 10,100 students. Of its $103 million operating
budget, about 69
percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.

Salary Schedule

Base salaries are determined strictly by
"steps," which use a matrix of years experience and graduate credit hours and
degrees.

There are 12 "steps" on the schedule, meaning
teachers get automatic 4 to 5 percent pay raises for their first 11 years in
the district.

In addition to step increases, the entire salary
schedule increases by 2 percent each year.

72 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and
78 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of
teachers' base salary is between $53,262 and $77,019.

The Michigan Department of Education reported
the average teacher salary in Forest Hills in 2008-09 was $64,460.

Teachers also get step increases between 2 and 4
percent in their 16th, 20th, 24th and 28th years in the
district.

Fringe Benefits

The district's current health insurance family plan
for teachers cost $13,506-14,748
per teacher in 2009.

Teachers contributed nothing per month to the
cost of this premium.

The average family premium for a health plan in
Michigan cost $11,300
in 2009, with employees contributing 22 percent ($2,500) of those costs.

The "Super Care" plan includes $100 deductible
for individuals and $200 deductable for families, no office co-pays and a $10/$20
RX plan.

Each teacher who does not enroll in a medical
insurance plan gets $41 per month.

The district also provides at no cost to
teachers dental, vision, life ($35,000) and long-term disability insurance.

The district also puts $600 per year into a
teacher's tax-sheltered annuity.

Any prescription drugs above $400 per year are
reimbursed by the district.